Colored fountains with pattern control



Dec. 6, 1955 J. E. BARBER 2,726,117

COLORED FOUNTAINS WITH PATTERN CONTROL Filed OCt. 20. 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet l JOHN E. 502559,

1 VEN TOR.

Dec. 6, 1955 J. E. BARBER COLORED FOUNTAINS WITH PATTERN CONTROL 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 20, 1951 IN V EN TOR.

E u H m Dec. 6, 1955 J. E. BARBER 2,726,117

COLORED FOUNTAINS WITH PATTERN CONTROL Filed Oct. 20, 195] 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ,QrmeA/EV Dec. 6, 1955 J. E. BARBER 2,726,117

COLORED FOUNTAINS WITH PATTERN CONTROL Filed Oct. 20. 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jab N E. 543554? INVENTOR. e1 I5! 55 QWveA/B 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Dec. 6, .1955 J. E. BARBER COLORED FOUNTAINS WITH PATTERN CONTROL Filed Oct. 20. 1951 ooo ooqQo 00% oooooooooooooooooo JOHN E. 548558,

INVENTOR.

O O O O O0 O0 O0 OO O O O O O O O O O O O O O OOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOO O O O O O O O O O O O O O O OOOO@OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOO 0|68|ZaO EGHJZ United States Patent O COLORED FOUNTAINS WITH PATTERN CONTROL John E. Barber, North Hollywood, t'lalif. Application October 20, 1951, Serial No. 252,380

11 Claims. (Cl. 299-41) This invention relates to colored fountains and particular-ly -to the type of colored fountain disclosed in my oo-pending application for US. Letters Patent, Serial No. 252,379, filed herewith and entitled Colored Fountain.

The type of fountain to which this invention relates discharges a series of discrete particles consecutively and rapidly in spaced relation along .a given path in a field of light. It then illuminates said field repeatedly with a sequential pattern of flashes differing in color and in, timed relation with the discharge of said particles to illuminate the latter with succeeding flashes of different lcolor while said particles are in different areas of said- -fleld.. The location of the respective areas in which said particles :are thus illuminated with diiferent colors remain substantially constant during each of the repetitions of the. hash pattern. This presents to the observer the illusion that each .of said areas within which particles are repeatedly illuminated with a particular color, constantly :exhibits that'particular color.

. maybe selectively controlled in order .to exhibit a wide variety of shades of color and combinationsrof these in said fountain. 1

- It is another object of the invention toprovide" such a fountain in which a series of color patterns may :be selected, which colors will then be automatically .exhibi'ted by said fountain with different patterns following each other at timed intervals, and the isequencewof patterns, which may be termed the master pattern, is repeated automatically as long as the fountain is energized.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide such .a.fountain, :the automatic operation of which maybe interrupted at will to permit manual selection of the sequential pattern of color flashes with which the fountain is currently being illuminated.

The manner of accomplishing the foregoing objects as well as further objects and advantages will be, made manifest in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which I Fig. 1 is the diagrammatic plan view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the invention, Fig.2 is a side elevational view of Fig. 1.

Fig. '3 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2. i

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail vertical sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of 'Fig. 1 and illustrating the internal structure of the nozzle of the invention.

2,726,117 Patented 6,}955

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3. s v

Fig. 6 is an enlarged deta il sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a wiring diagram of the invention.

Fig. 8 is an elevational view diagrammatically illustrating the contour of a spiral stream of water discharged upwardly by the apparatus of the invention, this view illustrating the shape assumed by said stream at a given instant in the operation of said apparatus.

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic elevational view of thefo untain of the invention illustrating the opticallillusion created in said fountain by the play of lights from said apparatus on said spiral stream. a i

Fig. '10 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of the pattern changer of the invention. I

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 1111 of Fig. 10 and illustrating a portion of the ing a triangular opening 23, liquid tight-closure of which i is effected by a window :24 which is secured in place on the top wall 23 by a mounting and sealing frame 25. Provided on the wall 22 is a hooded ventilator shaft 26 for ventilating the interior of the housing 16.

Provided on the wall 22 and conforming to the outline of the triangular opening 23 therein is a light shield 31 having a drain spout 31 leading from a lower portion thereof adjacent the window 24. Extending through the wall of the shield '30 and secured thereto as by welding 32 is 'a water supply pipe 33 which terminates at its inner end in a cup 34. This cup (Fig. 4) has an inner sleeve 35 on which an outer sleeve 36 is pressed, the sleeve .36 extending upwardly beyond the upper end of the inner sleeve and having a counterbore in which a sealed ball bear'ing'37 is received, this being held in place by a set screw .38 provided in the sleeve 36.

A nozzle base 139 has a sleeve 40 extending downwardly therefrom on which a pulley 41 is pressed, the lower end of .the sleeve 40 being inserted with a pressed fit within the inner race of ball bearing 37. The nozzle base 39 has a tubular nozzle 45 insertedin a suitable counterbore provided in saidbase so that an open passage is provided from said water supply tube 33 through "the cup 34 and the nozzle base 39 to the nozzle 45.

The nozzle base 39 is preferably united with the'pulley .41 and nozzle 45 as by welding 47. The tubular nozzle .45 .is bent out of alignment with the axis'of the hearing 37 soas to oscillate asit is rotated by the pulley 41. The cup 34iis secured as by welding 48 to the water tube 33 and is supported by this tube and by rods 59 opposite ends of which are welded to the cup 34 and to walls of the light shield 30. The outer end of water pipe 33 connects with a hose .51 through which a supply of wateris delivered'to said pipe.

Secured to the light .shield 30 as 'by a band 52 is an electric motor 53, the shaftof which extends downwardly therefrom and has mounted thereon a pulley 54 which is connected by a belt 55, passing through a hole 56 in the light shield 30, to the pulley 41.

Mounted within the housing 16 on the floor 17 thereof and rigidly spaced from said door by spacers 60 is a table 61 carrying a bearing .62 and having three holes 63 equally spaced circumferentially about the axis of the bearing 62 tovaccommodate receptacles 64'extending upwardly therethrough, bodies of said receptacles being clamped to the floor 17 by table 61.

Supported in vertical alignment with the bearing 62 by three legs 66 is a bearing 67 to which horizontal, radially disposed arms 68 extending inwardly from the upper ends of said legs, are welded.

Journalled in the bearings 62 and 67 is a vertical shaft carrying a pulley 76, which rests on the hearing 62, and a circular light shutter 77 which is secured as by a set screw 78 to shaft 75, just beneath the bearing 67. The shutter 77 has a light opening 79 which embraces substantially one-third of its area and is rein- 4 filters 101 in each of the banks 90 thereof are superposed one above the other in columnar formation. The

forced by metallic angles 80 secured as by welding to the lower face thereof, these angles being disposed radially to act as air circulating blades.

Screwed into the receptacles 64 are three lamps 81 which are grouped within the area of the window 24 so that whenever one of these lamps is exposed by the shutter opening 79, the light of that lamp is projected upwardly through said opening and through said window.

Mounted on the floor 17 by posts 85 is an electric motor 86 the shaft of which extends downwardly therefrom and carries a pulley 87 which lies in the same horizontal plane with the pulley 76 and is connected therewith by a belt 88. Thus, when energized, the motor 86 causes rotation of the shaft 75 and the shutter 77 mounted thereon.

Each of the lamps 81 has associated therewith a color filter bank 90, these filter banks being identical in construction so that a description ofone will suffice for all. Each bank 90 is mounted on one of the legs 66 and the arm 68 thereof in the following manner:

Welded to and extending upwardly from said arm 68 is a post and a post 96. The post 96 has a series of strips of metal 97 soldered or welded thereto which are twisted to form vertically aligned sheet metal bearings 98 (Fig. 6). Extending through and supported by these bearings is a shaft 99. Freely rotatable on said shaft between each adjacent pair of the bearings 98 is the hub 100 of an individual filter 101 of said bank 90, which filter is connected to said hub by an arm 102. Each hub 100 embodies a pulley 103 having notches 104 in one of the flanges thereof. Each individual filter 101 includes a circular rim 105 within which is mounted a transparent colored filter disc 106, the rim 105 being secured to the arm 102 by a U-shaped socket 107 provided on said arm and in which the rim 105 is clamped and preferably soldered.

As clearly shown in Fig. 3, the axis of the shaft 99 l of each filter bank 90 is located close to a lamp 81 with which said filter bank'is adapted to cooperate. Fixed on said leg 66 and extending away from said lamp is an angled bar 112 which is secured rigidly tothe lower 1 through suitable holes formed in the plate 113 the'axis of each of solenoids 116 being on the level of one of the pulleys 103. The inner end of each of the armatures 117 has an eye 118 which is connected with one end of a cord or cable 119 (Figs. 3, 5 and 6), this cord passing around the pulley 103 on the same level with said armature and through the notches 104 and after being looped into the notches 104, as shown in Fig. 6, continues on. around the pulley 103 and then connects with a coil spring 120 the opposite end of which is fastened to the post 95.

From the above description it is clear that each spring 120 when unopposed by the energizing of its associated solenoid 116 pulls on its cord 119 on its pulley 103 to rotate the same and the filter 101 mounted therewith, about the axis of shaft 99 to bring the rim 105 of this filter against the plate 113 (Fig. 3). This is the normal position of the filters 101 in which all the rotation of each filter 101 into this position withdraws the armature 117 of its solenoid 116 to its full extended position in which it is retained from further extension by a suitable collar (not shown) on the inner end of the armature.

When any of the solenoids 116 is energized the armature 117 thereof pulls upon the cord 119 to rotate the filter connected therewith and swings said filter away from its position of rest against plate 113 and outwardly into a position in which it is superimposed over its lamp 81. Said filter will remain so extended as long as its solenoid 116 remains energized. As soon as said solenoid is de-energized, the spring 120 connected to that filter will rapidly return it to its retracted position in superimposed relation with the other corresponding filters in its bank 90.

The motors 53 and 86, the lamps 81, and the solenoids 116 of the three filter banks 90, are controlled by an electric system which is illustrated in Fig.7. This system includes main leads L1 and L2 which are connected in parallel to the secondary winding of a transformer 126 and to lamps 81. Lead L1 has a main switch 128 for energizing or de-energizing the entire apparatus.

The transformer 126 has secondary windings 129, 130 and 131. Leading from one side of transformer winding 129 is a conductor 132 which connects to corresponding terminals on one side of each of six push button switches 133 of each of banks A, B and C of said switches while the other terminal of each of switches 133 leads to a corresponding solenoid 116 in one of the filter banks 90. The other side of each of the solenoids 116 is connected by a conductor 140 to the other side of winding 129. The switches 133 of switch bank A thus individually control the solenoids 116 in one of the filter banks 90 while the solenoids 116 of the other two filter banks 90 are controlled, respectively, by the switches 133 in the switch banks B and C.

It is thus seen that by closing any of the button switches 133 in any of the switch banks A, B and C, a certain light filter 101, which is controlled bythat particular button switch, will be caused to swingoutwardly from its columnized position into a position overlying the lamp 81 with which it is associated, and remain so extended.

Each of the switch banks A, B and C has a seventh push button 141 which has no electrical connection but which participates with the buttons 133 of that bank in a well known automatic release mechanism whereby pressing any of the buttons in one of said switch banks releases any other depressed button in the bank and permits it to retract, thus opening the switch associated therewith. Each of these switch banks is of a type manufactured by D. T. Mossman, Inc., of Joliet, Illinois, and designated by their catalog No 5700. Each of the buttons in one of these banks is spring pressed by 'an individual spring into open position 'as shown diagrammatically in Figure 7. A latch bar (not shown)'extends longitudinally of the bank and provides individual latches extending laterally therefrom opposite the buttons and 141. This bar is spring biased longitudinally to press said latches against said buttons. When any of these buttons is pushed downwardly it shifts said latch bar longitudinally thus releasing any buttons held down by said latch bar, the latter however returning into latching engagement with the button thus depressed. Thus only the button manually depressed is retained downwardly by said latch bar. When, in thus operating one of said banks, a button 133 is depressed, the circuit controlled by this button is closed and remains closed until another button of said bank is depressed so as to release the first mentioned button.

The button 141 in each switch bank is a clearing button, pressure upon which results in opening any of the push buttons 133 in that bank which. is closed, thereby clearing all other switch buttons 133 in that bank and giving assurance that all of the solenoids 116 in the filter bank 90 controlled by that switch bank are de-energized, which in turn assures that all of the filters 101' in that filter bank are in their normal columnized relation.

The transformer secondary 130 is connected through a variable switch to motor 86 so that the speed of said motor may be varied at will. The secondary 131 is connected in a similar manner to, motor 53.

Referring now to Figs. and 11, a pattern changer 145 is there illustrated which includes a base 146 having bearings 147 in which a shaft 148 is horizontally journalled, this shaft carrying a pattern changer drum 149. Drum 149 is constantly driven by a suitable motor (not shown) at any desirable speed and has an endless series of uniform longitudinal rows of tapped holes 150 formed radially in the shell of said drum. There are twentyone holes 150 in each of said rows. Formed on the base 146 are walls 155 and 156 which are apertured with aligned holes to receive seven groups of three slide rods 157, 158 and 159, each of these rods having a roller 160 mounted on its inner end which is held against the drum 149 by a spring 161 coiled about the rod mounting said roller and disposed between the wall 156 and a pin 162 and washer 163 provided on said rod.

The upper ends of walls 155 and 156 are connected together by a cover wall 165 which is provided on its outer edge with a spring latch 166. Joining with the base 146 and the wall 155 to cover the drum 149 is a cover 167. The pattern changer 145 is thus entirely covered excepting for the right end thereof which is covered by a door 170 the lower end of which is pivoted on the base 146 so that when said door is swung inwardly it is engaged and retained in closed position by the spring latch 166. Switch banks A, B and C are mounted on the inner face of the door 170 with the buttons 133 thereof in axial alignment with and in close spaced relation with the push rods 157, 158 and 159, respectively.

The tapped holes 150 are adapted to receive ordinary round head screws 171 each of which is caused by rotation of the pattern changer drum 149, as it passes under one of the rollers 160, to shift the rod 157, 158 or 159 on which this roller is mounted to close one of the push button switches 133 of one of the switch banks A, B or C. a

By selecting those holes 150 in the drum 149 which are filled with screws 171, any desired color pattern control for the several switches 133 of the switch banks A, B and C may be set up and automatically carried into operation by the rotation of the pattern drum 149. It should be clear that the routine of this pattern will be completely accomplished in one rotation of the drum 149 and that this routine will then be repeated as long as the pattern changer 145 is left in automatic operation. Whenever it is desired to change from automatic operation of the apparatus by the pattern changer 145, and take over the operation of this apparatus manually, the spring latch 166 is depressed to allow the end wall 170 to swing downwardly into its broken line position shown in Fig. 10. This will remove the switch buttons 133 from operative relation with the pattern changer 145 and expose these to the operator for manual operation.

Operation A suitable supply of water for the apparatus 15 may be obtained by connecting the hose 51 to a faucet of a domestic water system and then adjusting said faucet to produce a stream discharged upwardly a desired height from the nozzle 45. All that remains to do now is to close the switch 128 in order to cause the apparatus-15 to produce a colored fountain 175 as shown in Fig. 9.

The variable connections between the transformer secondary windings and 131 and the motors 86 and 53 are ordinarily allowed to remain set to cause the shutter 77 and the nozzle 45 to rotate at identical speeds. This causes the light field above the apparatus 15 into which the spiral stream of water 176 is discharged from the nozzle 45 to be illuminated three times during each rotation of the nozzle 45, each illumination being with a different color produced by the transposition of a different one of the color filters 101 in the path of light travelling upwardly from the lamp 81 associated therewith. Assuming that the filters 101 interposed over the lamps 81 are green, red and blue, respectively, it is seen that the spiral stream 176 (Fig. 8) is illuminated during the first third of a revolution of the nozzle 45 with the color green, during the second third of said revolution of the nozzle 45 with the color red and during the final third of a revolution of the nozzle 45 with the color blue.

Assuming that Fig. 8 shows spiral stream 176 at the beginning of said revolution, the half turns D, E, F and G of the spiral stream 176, which half-turns are disposed toward the observer from the axis X of the fountain, are located respectively at that moment in spirally shaped areas 203 which are lined for the color green in Fig. 9. As with each initial one-third revolution of the nozzle 45, a spiral stream 176 is produced which has the shape and location of the spiral stream 176 shown in Fig. 9, and as this stream is always illuminated with the color green during this first one-third of each such revolution, the illusion is created in the observer of seeing areas 203, in the pattern of the fountain shown in Fig. 9, as constantly illuminated with the color green.

During the second one-third of each of these successive revolutions of the nozzle 45, the spiral stream 176 is illu-.

minated with the color red, and as during said illumination the near half-turns D, E, F and G of said spiral stream have progressed upwardly to where these half-turns lie respectively in areas 204 of the pattern of the colored fountain 175, shown in Fig. 9, the illusion created in the observer thus includes the appearance of areas 204 as being constantly illuminated red.

By the same token, the repeated illumination of the spiral stream 176 during the reocurring final one-third portions of the revolutions of the nozzle 45 with the color blue, will find the near half-turns D, E, F and G of this spiral stream progressed still further upwardly to where these are repeatedly found during such illuminations in areas 205. The illusion created in the observer thus also includes the appearance of areas 205 as being constantly illuminated with a blue color.

The composite illusion thus created by the fountain 175, no matter where the observer may be located, is that the inverted conical area embraced within this fountain is divided into a series of spirally shaped areas as shown in Fig. 9 which areas may be grouped in successive groups of three areas each, which areas of each of said groups exhibit the appearance of being constantly statically illuminated by the respectivecolors present in the three filters 101 interposed over the lamps 81.

As long as the shutter 77 and nozzle 45 rotate at the same speed the pattern illustrated in Fig. 9 for the fountain 175 will remain fixed. In other words, the respective illuminated areas 203, 204 and 205 will beconstant in shape and position. A change in the respective rotational speeds of shutter 77 and nozzle 45, however, will cause a rotation of the pattern shown in Fig. 9 in one direction or another about the axis X of the fountain. This variation is, of course, desirable for the novel effect gained thereby and may be effected by a change in adjustment in.

either of the variable transformer secondaries 130 and 131. The colors manifest'in the areas 203, 204 and 205 in the color pattern of the fountain 175 may be selectively changed either by manual control of the push button switches 133 or this pattern may be automatically controlled by the pattern changer 145 as described hereinabovc. The shades of color presented by the individual filters 101 may differ throughout all three of the filter banks $0. In other words, each filter 101 may have a distinctive color hue. This gives the opportunity to produce the maximum variation in the color pattern which may be exhibited by the fountain 175. A single rotation of pattern changer drum 149 may last ten minutes with a change in color pattern each fourteen seconds without any duplication in pattern.

The manner in which the hues of the spectrum are preferably distributed among the eighteen individual filters 191 of the filter banks 99 will now be described.

There are six principal colors in the spectrum which are red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet. The opportunity is thus 'aliorded of providing a separate filter 101 for each of three distinct hues of each of said colors of the spectrum. For convenience, the filters of each of the banks 90 may be devoted to displaying the difierent hues of two of said six colors. Thus three hues of red and three hues of orange may be embodied in one ofsaid banks; three hues of yellow and three hues of green in the second bank; and three hues of blue and three hues of violet in the third bank 90.

With each of the eighteen filters 101 thus equipped with a different color hue, it is evident that a large number of distinctly different patterns, each including three of these hues, are available for making up the master pattern in the pattern changer 145.

The claims are:

1. In a colored fountain the combination of: means for discharging in consecutive spaced relation, groups of discrete particles at regular very short time intervals, in rapid flight along a given path through a given light field; means operating in timed relationship with said particle discharging means to illuminate said light field during each of said time intervals with a given sequence of rapid flashes of colored light, adjacent flashes in said sequence having distinctly dilierent given colors; and means, operable while said fountain is thus operating, to change the color produced in a particular one of the flashes in said sequence.

2. A combination as in claim 1 in which said illuminating means includes a separate light source for producing each of the flashes of different colored light in said sequence; shutter means for masking said light sources and uncovering the latter successively to permit said light field to be successively illuminated by said light sources; a series of multiple light filters one of which is associated with each of said light sources each of said multiple filters including differently colored light filters; and means for selectively controlling said multiple filters to selectively interpose between each of said light sources and said light field, colored light filters of selected hues.

3. A combination as in claim 2 in which said multiple filter control means includes a means for automatically actuating said multiple filters to present a series of selected different groups of colors successively in said sequence of light flashes and then repeat said selections as long as the machine continues in operation.

4. A combination as in claim 3 in which means is provided for interrupting said automatic changing of the color pattern in accordance with a selected routine and resume at will the actuation of said fountain in response to manual control of the colors comprised in said sequence of light flashes.

5. In an apparatus for producing a colored fountain, the combination of: means for discharging consecutive groups of discrete particles at high speed with said groups following each other along a given path through a given light field and across the line of vision of the observer; a plurality of lamps bearing on said light field; shutter means for masking said lamps and uncovering the latter one at a time to permit said light field to be successively illuminated by said lamps; a plurality of banks of individual light filters, the filters in each bank being mounted in a column on an axis adjacent one of said lamps, each filter in said bank being individually swingable about said axis between said column'and a position in which said filter intercepts and filters the light projected from said lamp into said lightfield; means for actuating individual filters in said filter banks to selectively interpose individual filters oversaid lamps; and means for actuating said shutter means in timed relation with said particle discharging means to cause the repeated and rapid illumination of said light field with a sequential pattern of flashes differing in color in accordance with the individual filters overlying said lamps whereby said .groups of particles will be illuminated with a difierent color during the occupation by said groups of each of a series of successive positions in said field thereby producing a relatively stable color pattern in said field with different areas of the latter exhibiting the difierent colors of light of said selected filters.

6. A combination as in claim 5 in which said lamps are grouped closely together and face upwardly; a housing enclosing said lamps and said filters banks; and a transparent window in the top of said housing through which light from said lamps is transmitted to illuminate said light field which is disposed above said window.

7. A combination as in claim 6 in which said particle discharging means comprises an oscillating nozzle mounted above said window for discharging a spiral stream of liquid upwardly through said light field, each of the near half-turns of said spiral stream comprising one of said consecutive groups of discrete particles.

8. In an apparatus for producing a colored fountain, the combination of: means for discharging consecutive groups of discrete particles at high speed with said groups following each other along a given path through a given light field and across the line of vision of the observer; a plurality of multiple light filters; means for controlling said multiple filters to present selected, individual filters contained within said multiple filters in positions to cause said light field to be illuminated by the color of each of said selected individual filters when light is directed therethrough; and means for consecutively and rapidly flashing light through said selected individual filters in a continuously repeated sequence; and means for timing the flashing of light through said individual filters as aforesaid with said particle discharging means whereby successive particle groups occupy a relatively fixed series of areas of said field, while said field is repeatedly illuminated with a given one of said colors, and

. a difierent series of relatively fixed areas of said field,

. the respective colors with which said groups of particles 55 were repeatedly illuminated while disposed in said respective series of relatively fixed areas.

9. In a colored fountain, the combination of: means for discharging, in consecutive spaced relation, groups of discrete particles, at regular very short time intervals,

in rapid flight along a path in symmetrically disposed relation to a given axis, and so as to pass through a given space field; a plurality of substantially stationary operative, differently colored light filters disposed symmetrically about said axis and positioned so that said particles travel away from said filters when said particles are discharged as aforesaid; a light source; and light control means mounted for rotation about said axis in timed relation with said particle discharging means, said light control means causing light from said source to be successively directed through said light filters to illuminate said space field during each such time interval with a given sequence of rapid flashes of colored light, each individual flash in said sequence having the distinctive color of one of said operative filters.

10. A combination as in claim 9, including a series References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Black Feb. 12, 1924 Kliegl Dec. 24, 1929 Kliegl Aug. 11, 1931 Giblet Jan. 4, 1951 

